


Darkness

by bevgbates



Series: <Jaine> [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Cyberpunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 22:28:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5022940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bevgbates/pseuds/bevgbates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 3 of Jaine</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darkness

Memories.

That voice.

I know it.

<THIS ONE IS FAULTY>

Suddenly, he appeared from the dark, a specter spawned from shadows. He stood impossibly straight, a feat achieved by his augmented spinal column designed to endure 10 megatons of force. His flawless skin and the angle of his eyes and ears gave away his elvish genealogy to even the most casual of observers, but, like any elf, he never tried to hide it. The only thing that served to show his age was his static colored hair, cut short and kept extremely neat.

“State name and callsign,” he commanded. His voice cut through the air, sharp as his cheekbones.

<Charles...JA1N3>

_wake up_

The elf’s expression revealed his disappointment, “What is faulty about this one?”

<It is too emotional>

_wake up_

<!!INITIATING FORCE STARTUP>

The elf’s eyes frowned as he leaned in close, “This must be dealt with. Thalia, Implant a…”

_Wake Up, Child_

...

Is that soup?

Jaine shot up and immediately regretted it as she felt the full shock of Charles’ wake up procedure. The electricity blasted through the wires and into her brain, lighting it on fire with pain.

<Hello, JA1N3>

The pain was fleeting, but Jaine's head was still spinning.

“Are you just going to ignore calling me by my name yesterday?”

<What are you talking about?>

Jaine sighed and yawned, rubbing her sore neck, “Nothing.”

Jaine could tell something had happened last night, but didn't know what it could be. Her entire body hurt and there were sharp pains from her lower abdomen every time she shifted her weight around. Her eyes adjusted to the light and she found herself looking at an orc.

Donovon was looking at her worriedly, spoon in hand dripping some bright red liquid. Jaine smelled mushrooms, kale, and something meaty.

“What is it?”

Donovon moved the spoon to Jaine’s mouth, and she sipped timidly. The heat shocked her lips at first, but pain quickly turned to pleasure as the delicious, meticulously prepared soup surged down her throat.

Donovon noticed the look in her eyes and immediately spooned another mouthful towards Jaine, this one containing a small mushroom.

“I can feed myself,” Jaine said, raising an arm, but noticing the hurt look in Donovon’s eyes, she lowered the arm and let him feed her.

“I thought orcs were supposed to be bloodthirsty beasts,” Jaine jested, laughing to herself at the sight of Donovon’s massive form wearing a tattered apron and feeding her food, “Don’t you have other patrons to feed?”

<The oaf is worried about you. You very nearly killed yourself last night.>

A look of confused concern filled Jaine’s eyes, “What do you mean?”

<You had a break down and tried to remove your backupupupupupup...ERROR>

_ohnȱ_

“Donȵy.. the ꝔIꝈLṨ...plea..sʂ.se.” She was heating up.

The orc looked at her, terrified at the voice that couldn’t be hers, but he snapped out of it and snatched the bottle next to the TV. He opened it then looked at her, his eyes asking the questions.

“ŤħŘȄ33!”

<!!INITIATING SYSTEM REBOOT>

Jaine arched her back, feeling the orcs stitches straining but refusing to give, as lightning blasted through her body. Charles was attempting a hard reboot, and the physical strain would put her over the edge unless.

<REBOOT COMPLETE>

The three little pills suddenly appeared within her vision, and just like that they were gone, squeezing down her throat. Her thoughts cleared, but the shock of Charles starting up hit her and she screamed, the pain exploding through the top of her skull.

Him.

Jaine was floating.

“Hello...General.”

<He’s gone>

Jaine opened her eyes to view a sheer rock face centimeters away from her nose. It smelled of sweat and...soup. The mountain shifted its weight and Jaine looked up to see Donovn’s bulky head.

He was crying.

She smiled weakly, “It’s okay, Donny. You can put me down.”

<Your brain patterns are back to normal>

Donovan gingerly stood her up, but her slender legs gave way and she sank to her knees. The orc reached down again, but she put up a hand, “Stop. Let me handle this.” She wanted to stand, and willed her legs to move, but they ignored her.

<Something is more wrong than we thought>

“Yeah, I gathered that.”

<That was the second time I've had to force reboot this week>

"I'm aware."

<I need to run a full diagnostics check up>

“Yeah, okay.”

<Send him away, you will shut down, and it will frighten him.>

“Donny,” Jaine breathed, “I need to be alone for a little bit…”

<Three hours>

“... for three hours. Go...do your job. I’ll come find you in three hours so you know I’m okay. Allright?”

Donovon nodded but hesitated for a moment.

“Donovon, I know you’re worried, but I’ll be okay.”

The orc nodded again and left, pausing once more to look back at his only daughter lying in a pathetic heap at the foot of her bed.

Tears, brutish sniffles, and a doorknob click signalled to Jaine that Donovon had completely left the room.

“What do you think it is?”

<I think your cooling unit is starting to shut down, but there might be something else going on>

“Who’s that elf I keep dreaming abo…”

<!!INITIATING SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS>

</Jaine>

 

 


End file.
